PITTSBURGH — The Ottawa Senators have plenty of respect for Sidney Crosby.

As they’re quickly learning, perhaps a little too much.

Working in wide-open swaths of ice left by Ottawa’s tentative defense, the Pittsburgh superstar needed just over one period to complete his second playoff hat trick and lift the Penguins to a 4-3 victory Friday night in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference semifinals.

“He’s one of the best in the game and if you give him time, space to make plays, to shoot the puck, he’s going to burn you,” Ottawa defenseman Chris Phillips said. “That’s what we did tonight. We gave him too much … and he took advantage.”

Pittsburgh leads the series 2-0 heading into Game 3 on Sunday in Ottawa.

Kyle Turris, Colin Greening and Jean-Gabriel Pageau scored for the Senators, but couldn’t stop Ottawa from falling into a deep hole against the Eastern Conference’s top seed. The Senators have never won a series after dropping the first two games.

Brenden Morrow added his first playoff goal in more than five years for the Penguins, and Tomas Vokoun made 19 saves to help Pittsburgh move within two victories of advancing to the conference finals for the first time since it won the 2009 Stanley Cup.

And that — and not his spectacular flurry that sent the Senators reeling — is all that mattered to Crosby.

“You want to play well at home and make sure you get here,” Crosby said. “We did that, we got two wins. I don’t think your mindset changes. We know that it’s going to get harder.”

It had better if Ottawa wants to make this a series.

Crosby beat Craig Anderson three times in three very different ways in the game’s first 22 minutes, each score showcasing a facet of his remarkable talent.

Note

• San Jose general manager Doug Wilson says the organization disagrees with the NHL’s decision to suspend forward Raffi Torres for a hit that knocked out Los Angeles forward Jarret Stoll.

Wilson said in a statement that it is “abundantly clear” that Torres’ check in Game 1 against Stoll was a clean hockey hit. Torres will not appeal the suspension.